13 Things You Really Should Know Before Your Next Bikini Wax

Before a recent trip to Los Angeles, I decided to embark on a womanhood rite of passage: get my very first bikini wax.

Not knowing that you must grow out your hair beforehand, I went in having shaved two days earlier. The aesthetician (who shall remain nameless) began ripping away over and over on the same areas, like a five-year-old opening presents on Christmas morning. I thought the whole thing was normal—it’s supposed to hurt, right?

Of course, she couldn’t get the hair because it was too short, and so I was left with a red, irritated, inflamed mess—not exactly what you want right before a trip to a sunny place or a ride at an indoor cycling studio. I was doing both.

Once I was informed by friends and co-workers (at an editorial meeting, no less) about her poor judgement, I thought, “How could the female whisper network have failed to properly educate me on this crucial beauty issue?”

To get smart fast, I decided to get the facts from a someone who’d break it down completely for me and interviewed the super seasoned waxer and lead aesthetician at Bliss Spa Soho, Leyda Quintero.

Here, she shares everything you should know before your first bikini wax. Because what doesn’t hurt about a wax is being equipped with a little knowledge (or a little more hair!) before showing up for your appointment. Get her 13 tips now at Well+Good.